Outlaws and Inlaws
by Chrome Girl-174
Summary: The third book in the Hightopp Returns series. For Koreys 19th birthday they go to the Upperland but what will happen when things don't go according to plan and old enemies return.
1. Chapter 1

Tarrant couldn't sleep. He lay there on his bed staring up at the celing. Then he rolled over and saw his wife, Alice, sleeping peacfuly next to him.

Korey was in the same boat. But in stead of not being able to sleep she slept in a fitfull maner. Of all the nightmares she had had in her life this was by far the worst. Tarrant heard her whimpers and went to check on her.

**Koreys' Nightmare**

_"Lacey! Korey!" A 6-month-old Koery heard her fathers cheery voice, back before he had gone mad. Little Korey cooed weakly in her sickly mothers arms at the sight of her father as he walked over to his girls._

_"'Ello luvs!" He said kissing both Korey and Lacey on their feverish cheeks._

_"'E-Ello Tarrant." Lacey murmured._

_"'Ow ye feelin' darlin'?" Tarrant asked his wife._

_"Fine." She barley managed._

_"An Lil' Kores'?"_

_"Beta' than me." Lacey sighed looking at her baby._

_Korey reached her shakey thin pale arms up to Tarrant. _

_"D-Daddy." She mumbeld her first word._

_Tarrant picked up the little girl and wraped her in her thick blue black and red blanket. _

_"An' who's tha'?" He asked her._

_"Mumma?" She asked him._

_"Aye, lassie." He smiled laying her in her crib._

_"I'll be back soon, Luv." Tarrant whispered to his young wife kissing her for the last time and this was the last thing Korey saw of her family togather before she fell asleep._

_Korey awoke to her fathers voice._

_"Lacey! LACEY!" He cried holding his wifes limp form Korey cooed for her father to hold her not understanding what was happening._

_"Daddy?" She asked him holding her arms up._

_Tarrant let his wife cold corps slip from his arms and lay back on the bed then he covered her with the blankets. _

_"Hey, Kores." He sobbed, weakly trying to sound brave for his daughter, tears welled in his eyes as he picked her up. _

_There was only one place he knew to take his daughter for the time being while he squared way with his wifes body. The Hound Clans wing of town where Bayard and his new wife Bielle lived along with other breeds of hound like the Irishwolf Hounds and Scottishdeer Hound but the one he was going to see were the Bluetick Coonhounds. _

**END KOREYS' NIGHTMARE **

"Korey! Korey wake up!" Korey heard a voice that sounded far off.

She then opend her eyes and uttered those same words.

"D-Daddy?" she asked into the dark where she saw his glowing green eyes.

"Aye, are ye O.K Kores'?" He asked her.

"Aye." She mumbeled sitting up on her bed while Tarrant lit a candle.

"Were ye 'avein' bad dreams again?" He asked.

"Aye. It twas 'bout Mumma." She whimpered with a bit of a bitter edge.

"I don't 'member eva' dreamin' 'bout 'er. I was only 6-months old when she died."

"Wot was th' dream 'bout?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Lacey?" Korey yelled into the garden. "Come 'ere 'lil bit time ta open yer presents."

The little year old girl ran up to where her family and friends all sat, Lacey had deep brown eyes like her mothers and straberry-blonde curly hair her skin was the color of the White Queens and she had rosey colored cheeks like her father.

"Kores' I wanna open yers first." Lacey said looking up at her half-sister.

"O.K." Korey huffed as she handed a hatbox to her sister.

Lacey wasted no time in tearing the wraping paper and ribon off the box "Momma, Da lookie what Kores' got me." Lacey held up a little pink hair-clip top hat and showed it to her parents.

"Le' me see it' Lace." Korey said taking it and putting on her sisters head the clips held the stray hairs back from Laceys' face.

Tarrant and Alice came over to where Korey stood as they watched their daughter unwrap her presents.

"Good stich work Kores'." Tarrant told his daughter.

"Thanks Daddy. Wot ye think Alice?" She asked her step-mom.

"Yer gettin' better every day it suties Lacey perfectly."

Korey couldn't help but smile at that.


	3. Chapter 3

Across the kingdom and over the Desert Of Crims by the Crimson Sea sat large red castle and on this perticular morning the halls echoed with a creepy sound.

Click-clonk clip-clonk. Then into the dungeon burst the white face and big head of Iracebeth the Red Queen of Crims.

"This serves you right for trying to kill me." She sniffed into a dark. "This is your last chance."

There was a russtle of chain and a groan as a dark figuer moved into the light.

"The spys have found that the Hat Man and Alice are planing a trip to the Upperland for the Hatters' brats' birthday. I want you to kidnapp her and bring her to me." Iracebeth snareled. "Don't fail me or its off with your head!" Iracebeth left the figure alone so the gaurd could bring him out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Two months later**

"Kores' get up Sweetie." Korey heard a soft voice from out side her nightmare.

She rolled over and moaned as day light poured into her eyes.

"Happy birthday." Hatters' voice said cheerily.

Korey ran her hand threw her poney tail as she sat up and straghtined her light blue nightgown.

"Its to early." She wined.

"Kores'!" She heard a highpiched screach as something jumped on her back.

"Who let the midget in my room?" Korey asked angrily.

"Korey be nice." Their father told her.

"Yessir." Korey sighed with a sight lisp.

"Get dressed then come down stairs." Tarrant said as he picked Lacey up and walked out of the room.

Korey sliped her feet out from under the covers. Then she walked over to her closet and went threw her close. She picked out a light blue strapless dress it had a tan/gold strap at the top that ran under her arms and a matching tan/gold waist band with a bow. There was a satin cover over her dress it had sparkle flowers that resimbeled the flowers in the Garden of Talking Flowers. Her dress was knee length and it had tan/gold petty coats that just stuck out from under the skirt. Once she had changed her dress she let her hair out if the ribon in the last three years it had grown out and now it flowed down to the middle of her back she then went to her dresser and looked in the mirror and then she put her hat on her head and twirled around.

"I love this dress." She said as it lightend colors her smile grew to a size that thretend to rivle Chessuers'.

She walked over to where her shoes were and put on her new pair of her light blue and tan hightopps and ran out the door her electric orange hair bounced out behind her. When Korey made it to the gardens of the White Queens castle she found a note:

_Meet us at Witzend_

Korey stared at it then shruged and grabed her milliners coat and the little silver milliners case off the rack on the wall and ran out to her old home.

When Korey made it to the town she saw ribons and streamers and all the houses were standing just like in all her dreams. In the town square was a large Maypole with a black topphat.

"Happy Birthday KOREY!" The whole of Miranas' court said jumping out from behind the bulidings.

"This ain't a dream is it?" Korey asked.

"Naww Kores'." Bayard said in his deep gruff voice.

"Korey," Tarrant said walking up behind her and grabing her around her waist "Happy birthday." He said picking her up and twirling her in the air.

"Daddy wot happend here?"

"This is your present from me and your Underland family."

"Wot ye mean?" Korey asked.

"I mean Alice wants us to go to the Upperland fer yer birthday." Tarrant told his now 19 year old daughter Koreys insane smile disapeared momentarily.

"Go look in the workshop." Tarrant said. Korey went into her favorite place in the whole of two worlds.

"WOW!" Korey exclaimed. "Its back to normal."

"Yup! And look." Tarrant said pointing in the corrner.

"Is dat mine?" Korey asked.

"Aye Lassie." Tarrant said as he wraped an arm loveingly around Alice.

Once Korey had looked around, Hatter, Korey, Lacey and, Alice all drank the last of the Jabberwocky blood and then disapeared no one knew that in the shadows of the woods a cloaked figure watched them as he drank his own vile of blood and disapeared to.


	5. Chapter 5

A few minuets later four shimering figures appeared in the morning light at a garden party.

"Alice!" Came a female voice.

"Hello Mother." Alice said as she shifted Lacey on her hip.

Korey being shy hid behind her father.

"Daddy, why did we come here their just goin' ta laugh at us cuz we's different."

"I know Luv. But Alice wanted me to meet her family and she has a surprise here for you."

Korey smiled up at the Hatter.

"Who is this?" Mrs. Kingsly asked her daughter.

"Well Mum, this is my daughter Lacey, my husband Tarrant, and my step daughter Korey." Alice said to her mother who had a snear across her face.

"'Ello Mrs. Kingsly." Tarrant said with a bow.

"'Ello ma'ma." Korey said steping out from behind her father and doing a little curtsy.

Helens' eyes narrowed into slits and she looked at Koreys dress.

"Hello." She said in her arisotcratic way.

"Daddy Alice may I go explore da groun's?" Korey asked.

"Well let's give ye yer suprise first." Alice told her.

"This is who you got those...things...for?" Helen asked her daughter.

"Yes Mumma. Now where are they."

"This way." Helen said leading the Hightopp family to the group of on lookers.

Korey looked around kind of nervous. The natrual sparkles in her eyelashess glissend in the sunlight and her dress darkend to a bronze and navy colors.

"Sit here Korey." Helen half sugested half demanded like Korey was a desies.

A few minuets Mr. Ascot and Helen came from the stables with a young boy who was about Koreys age.

"Kores'." Alice said before she opend the box the boy was holding. "Happy birthday!"

Korey looked inside the box and found two puppys in the bottom. She picked them up one at a time: the female was a misty color with velvety fur and black head and paws.

"Mist." Korey decided.

The male was red he had red head with a full white blaze and red feet.

"Fire."

"Mist and Fire." She said with a sparkle in her eyes. "Thank ye Alice. Now may I go-"

"Aye Lassie." Tarrant said.

Koreys' face lit up.

"Thanks Daddy!" Getting up and running off with her puppys.

"Wow." A girl said.

"Yeah what girl plays with hounds and her dress realy inaproprate." Said another

"Korey wait take this." Tarrant tossed her rapier to her she smiled.

"So yer da one who took it." She giggled as she hooked it to her belt.


	6. Chapter 6

"Ye thank she's from Underland?" A small voice said behind Korey.

"Well wot do ye think." Came another voice Korey couldn't help it she turned around just as Mist jumped Fire.

"She's the baby Korey from the stories ye pusselgutted lil hound." Mist snarreled.

"Ye betta' quite dat." Korey growled. "Yes I'm the baby Korey from the stories and if ye dont mind me askin' I thought all the talkin' Blueticks were killed on Hondourish Day?"

"Well yer still 'ere pusselgutt." Fire growled.

"Fire come 'ere." Korey said her eyes tinged with Amber.

Fire walked over to where Korey stood.

"We dont call people unless its Old Father William pusselgutt ye 'ear?" She scolded and swated him between the ears.

"Yes ma'ma."

"And dat goes fer ye to Mist."

"Yes mummy." Mist whimpered.

Korey turned around and there in front of her stood the boy that had carried the puppys out to her.

"OH! Um...excuse me sir." She said bowing her head.

"So I see you found the pups secret to." He said.

"Aye." She said a little embaressed.

"Come with me." He said grabbing her hand.

Korey looked up at the boy he had sky blue eyes blonde shaggy hair and tand skin he was tall and well mussled.

"So whats your name?" The boy asked.

"Korey Hightopp. Wots yers?" She found herself smileing up at the boy.

"Zack but all the other stable hand call me Teacup."

Korey smiled.

"I can alredy tell dt me daddy would like ye."

"He likes tea?" Zack asked.

"Aye next to his millenery work its his faveorite thang."

They arived at a small creek where Korey fish swimming and the foals ran around the clearing.

"Why its beautiful here." She smiled.

"Your smileing." Zack pointed out. Korey instantly covered her mouth and looked away.

"I think its pretty." He said moving her hands.

Korey looked off to the side and smiled her eyes turning a light pink color.

"Its ugly and makes me look mad." She said looking at the hem of her dress seeing that it had darkened.

"Well lets see how mad you are." He said.

"You'll have to catch me first." She called and took off.

"Dang your fast." Zack called from a few feet behind.

"And I can go on for hours like this." Korey giggled.

Then very unexpectedly the sheath of her rapired snagged on one of the trees casueing her to trip and fall.

"HA! Looks like I win." Zack chanted from above her.

"Beginers luck." She said as he helped her up.

"Can you dance?" He asked.

"Yes. Wot girl can't?" She smiled.

He pulled her close and in sync they danced around the creek and threw the tress.

"Your very good." Zack told her.

"Thank ye Teacup." She smiled back up at him.

Korey and Zack then heard claping behind them. They began to giggle embarassed.

"I think were caught." Korey smiled but what meet her ears was not the imussed voice of Tarrant or Alice but a haunting one that cut her clean to the bone and sent chills up her back.

"Ello Korey I've been waiting for you to wonder off from that insane daddy of your and it will be your fatial mistake.


	7. Chapter 7

Koreys' eyes went wide with fear as she pulled away from Zack and turned her hand defiantly on the hilt of her rapired.

"Iolsivic Stayne." She snarreled her eyes going bright amber. "Ye is a sluvish merfule pusselgutted 'at brim lil cowered da neva did amoutn ta anyfin'."

"And your a insane little milliners daughter who should have died at birth." He replyed.

Korey lunged at him and he drew his sword and the fight was on. Stayne might have been stronger but not as quick as Korey who ducked under his blade and ran.

"RUN!" She yelled to Zack and the puppies.

The strange group ran throught the woods and into the party straight to Hatter.

"Why is yer sword out Kores'?" he asked his daughter.

"S-s-s-s-st-tayne." she studdered.

Then came srcreames and gasps from the partyrs as the tall man walked up to the family of milliners.

"Korey." he aid as he had once before to Alice.

Korey and Zack turned and saw him comeing up toward the group.

"Ye'll neva bet me yer to old and slow." Korey said before her father had time to register what was happening.

"Sure." he muttered and grabed out as fast as lightning and had Korey in a choke hold with a dagger to her thorught.

Tarrant was changing his state of mind from clam to crazed but then stoped when he saw his baby girl being threatend like she was. and then in a flash of light Stayne and Korey were gone.


	8. Chapter 8

"She's gone...I cant believe he took her again...a-and it's my fault that I werent fast enough."

"T-Tarrant it wasn't your fault...h-he's gotten to-to strong." Alice studdered shakely as she held Lacey closer.

"Who was that?" Helen Kingsly asked.

"Iolsivic Styane the former Knave of Hearts."

"The slirvish urphel-"

"Hatter!"

"at...fez...I-I'll kill 'em if 'e eva' touches e'fer o' ye 'gain."

"Tarrant I wan't Korey to be away from him as much as ye do but we need th' Queen to help us. Then you and me can end this maddness fer good."

"Aye lassie we need to go back."

"Then I'm goin' with you." Zack steped foreward.

"Lad ye got no idea as to wot yer getin' yerself inta."

"I'm gonna help get Korey back whether ye like it er not."

"Well" Helen splutered out. "My daughter is not going to help you fight a man such as that. You may all go but Alice stays."

"Mother! Ye don' care enough 'bout yer grandaughter to say she may stay to. And just so ye know I have to go I'm the champion of Underland."

"Well I never." Helen spurted out and stepped foreward to sezie Alice's arm but the very odd bunch of people and dogs dissipearied before she could take a step.


	9. Chapter 9

Korey awoke, her head was pounding and every thing was fuzzie. She slowly sat up and looked around she was in a dimly lit stone cell.

*GRRRRRRRRR* Then it occoured to her that she was starving.

*Clop Clunk Clink* Came footsteps down the hall.

"Well, well lookie here. The minnie Mad Hatter has awoke." Stayne erily crackeled.

"H-how long was I out?" Korey asked.

"3 days." Iraceabeth sneared.

"Wh-what do you want with me?"

"Your loylaty."

"I'd rather die." Korey spat.

"In exchange for your familys lives." The queen chuckled.

Korey went wide eyed.

"Aye for that I'll serve."

"Stayne you may have her." Iraceabeth corteled.

Stayne instantly got a lust full look for this young fresh milliner. Iraceabeth caught that look and...*Smack* right up against his face, this caused Korey to giggle due to the curcumstances.


	10. Chapter 10

"Korey wake up please." Zack wined at his girlfriend.

Korey's small frail form was laid out on her bed in Witzend. She looked smaller and frailer and even though it didn't seem possible paler. Her chest lightly rose and fell in shallow breaths as she slept. Zack sat by her on the bed.

After Tarrant had killed the Red Queen and the Knave they had found Korey, half dead, passed out against the back wall of the cell she was in. they had rushed her to the White Castle where Mirana had healed most her wounds and had given a drought to make her sleep.

Zack hated that all she did was slept but on the flip side if she was awake the pain would be too much for her to stand.

"Zack." Came the soft voice of Alice.

"Yes Mrs. Hightopp?" Zack came out of Korey's' room.

"How many times do I have to say it just call me Alice."

"Yes ma'ma Alice."

"Zack you don't need to stay in there with Kores' all the time you'll make yerself sick."

"Yes ma'ma." Zack said.

"Come to tea then you can come back to her." Alice suggested.

A few months later Korey awoke to the blonde curls blue eyes and sweet, sweet smile of Zack. And the wet kisses of her two hound puppies.

"Mommy yer up." The puppies smiled and happily jumped up and down.

"Oh Korey I was so worried about you." Zack said tears welling in his eyes.

"Zackie how long was I out?" She asked.

"At least three months." He told her.

He gently picked up Korey's skeletal form and carried her down the stairs to where the March Hare, Tarrant, Alice, Lacey and Mally were having tea. When they saw Korey there was an outburst of happiness.


	11. Chapter 11

A few weeks later Korey was a married woman and in a few months there were two new Hightopp children.

A girl named Velvett Hightopp who had her mothers eyes and fathers hair, and a boy named Rhett Hightopp who had Zacks eyes and Korey's hair.

The family grew and Alice and Tarrant had four more children two twin boys name; Agustus or Gus for short and Gerald Hightopp and a girl who they named Helen Hightopp and the youngest they named Charles.

Korey and Zack also had more children they beget five more girls and two boys, the three triplets were named; Reba, Bone and, Ester, and the twins who were named Alyssa and Mackenzie, the boy who they named Zech and finaly the youngest girl they named Satian.

Tarrant & Lacey (first wife) beget -Korey

Tarrant & Alice beget -Lacey, Agustus (Gus), Gerald, Helen, Charels

Korey & Zack beget -Velvett, Rhett, Reba, Bone, Ester, Alyssa, Mackenzie, Zech, Satain

As the years passed the family increased as one by one the children grew and married and had children of their own but I wont go into detale this was a story of Korey and of how the Hightopp Clan Returned.

* * *

there may be a follow up series, about the growth of this family, in the future. by the end of this story there are 18 Hightopps alive


End file.
